Colpodium baltistanicum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rhizomes absent. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect; 5–20 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades conduplicate. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 1.5–4 cm long; 0.5–0.8 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 0–1 basal sterile florets; 1–2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 4–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume elliptic; 2–3 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; yellow; 1-keeled; keeled below; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume elliptic, or ovate; 2–3 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; keeled below; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent.

FLORETS Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3.5–4.5 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; yellow; keeled; keeled below. Lemma lateral veins less than two thirds length of lemma. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below (to middle); hairy on veins. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned below; with 0.75 of their length adorned.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2–3 mm long.

FRUIT Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Poeae. Dickore 2004.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.